Dad accused of tossing girl off bridge called lawyer 'God'

1of4John Jonchuck, who police said threw his 5-year-old daughter off a bridge over Tampa Bay, was charged with murder in Pinellas County, Fla. ﻿Photo: Zachary T. Sampson, MBI

2of4This booking photo provided by the Pinellas County Jail shows John Jonchuck. The 25-year-old faces a first-degree murder charge after throwing his 5-year-old daughter off a bridge on the approach to the Sunshine Skyway, early Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015. (AP Photo/Pinellas County Jail)Photo: HOPD

3of4John Nicholas Jonchuck appears on a video monitor before Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Court Judge Michael Andrews Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015 in Tampa, Fla. Jonchuck, 25, drove toward a bridge over Tampa Bay pulled his car over early Thursday, took his 5-year-old daughter from the back seat, pressed her head to his chest, and tossed her over the rail, according to police in St. Petersburg. He faces first-degree murder charges. (AP Photo/The Tampa Bay Times, John Pendygraft, Pool)Photo: John Pendygraft, POOL

4of4This image provided by the Pinellas County Jail shows a booking photo of John Nicholas Jonchuck Jr. The 25 year-old faces a first-degree murder charge after throwing his 5-year-old daughter off a bridge on the approach to the Sunshine Skyway early Thursday morning Jan. 8, 2015. (AP Photo/Pinellas County Jail)Photo: HOPD

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Just 12 hours before police said John Jonchuck threw his 5-year-old daughter off a bridge, the father calmly told a sheriff's deputy he was happy, didn't want to hurt himself or his little girl and had "new clarity in his life."

The officer had made a point of interviewing Jonchuck in person because Jonchuck's attorney frantically called 911 to report he was acting "strange." The attorney, Genevieve Torres, said Jonchuck had called her "God" and asked her to translate a Bible in Swedish when they met Wednesday to talk about Jonchuck's custody case for his daughter, Phoebe.

Yet, when police talked to Jonchuck at length, everything appeared OK.

Then police encountered Jonchuck again shortly after midnight Wednesday. He was going about 100 mph toward the Sunshine Skyway bridge. By the time an officer caught up with him, Jonchuck had pulled over on the approach to the bridge.

Jonchuck got out, and started toward the officer, who pulled his weapon. Jonchuck grabbed Phoebe from the back seat and "held her face to his chest" as he carried her to the railing, Police Chief Anthony Holloway said.

It wasn't clear whether Phoebe was alive when Jonchuck threw her into Tampa Bay about 60 feet below, though the officer said he "thought he heard the child scream," Holloway said.

Phoebe's body was recovered about a mile from the bridge about two hours later. An autopsy and cause of death is pending.

Before her death, Jonchuck and Phoebe had an odd encounter with his attorney. Torres told the 911 dispatcher that she had asked Jonchuck if he wanted her to file paperwork in his custody case.

"It's not going to matter anymore," she recalled him saying.

Jonchuck, 25, was charged with first-degree murder. At his first court hearing Thursday, Pinellas County Judge Michael Andrews asked him if he wanted an attorney.

"I want to leave it in the hands of God," Jonchuck said.

The judge responded: "I'm pretty sure God's not going to be representing you in this case. You're going to be standing trial."